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Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I love making bags! In my opinion, you can never have too many. Especially little bags, they are just so handy. I whipped up one of these bags right before traveling and thought you all might enjoy a little tutorial to make your own.

They use only three fat quarters (plus twill or fabric for ties), so even if your stash is small, you can make these bags! I use them for everything, they can hold a lot. They make a great gift, or the perfect eco-friendly, reusable wrapping.

The best part for me of course, was choosing the fabrics! I chose a focus fabric (the animal print), for the exterior, and then pulled colors from there to use as the coordinating exterior accent, interior, and ties. Notice my focus fabric is directional (meaning it has a clear "top" and "bottom"). I've written the tutorial to work with directional prints.

Optional: For added structure, you may choose to add interfacing to your bags, but it is not necessary. I’d recommend using interfacing only on the Exterior Main pieces. Using it on the Exterior Accent could interfere with the drawstring.

*This tutorial uses subcutting. There may be scrap leftover from the strips after you've cut your pieces. It's written this way to ensure that any directional fabrics are cut correctly. The scraps will not be used in the final bag. The final measurements for each piece can be found on the second line of each cutting instruction if you’d rather cut from scraps. All piece dimensions are listed as height x width.

3. Fold your sewn strip in half, right sides together, matching the interior ends. Pin along the raw edges, matching up each seam and pinning it to secure. Leave a 3" space at the center of the open end (interior), for turning later.

4. On both sides, mark a 1" opening in the center of the exterior accent piece. Measuring from one side of the exterior accent, mark at 1.25" and 2.25". These two smalls sections will be left unsewn, creating an opening for the drawstrings.

5. Sew along the three open sides, backstitching when you start and finish. Don’t sew between the 1” opening you marked on both sides or the the 3" opening on the end. Be sure to backstitch before and after each opening.

6. To create the flat bottom of your bag, we need to box all four corners (2 interior, 2 exterior).

Starting with an interior corner, wiggle both interior pieces apart, flattening the corner (where the seams meet). Line up the bottom and side seams, wiggling them between your fingers to feel that they are lined up. You may find this is easier if you first press the seams open a few inches in each direction.

7. Lay your acrylic ruler across the corner, lining up the diagonal edge of your piece with the 45˚ angle line. The stitching line should line up at 1.5" (as shown above). Draw a line 3" wide across the corner using a water soluble pen.

11. Find the 1” opening on each side of the bag. Mark a small horizontal line at the top and bottom of the opening. Using your acrylic ruler, extend the lines around the entire bag.*

*Alternatively, slide the bag onto your machine bed, lining up the needle with the top mark. Place a piece of washi or masking tape on the machine bed to use as a guide. Repeat with the bottom mark. This technique is shown in the video above. (Some 1" wide masking tape is super helpful here!)

12. Sew all the way around your piece on the lines you marked. Backstitch at the start and finish. You’ll have two stitch lines when you’re done, one above and one below the 1” openings. This is the casing for the drawstrings.

If you’re using a sewing machine without a free arm like mine, turn the bag inside out after marking the lines. Sew on the lines, “inside the bag”. This technique is shown in the video above.

Now it’s time to make your ties. If you’re using twill, skip to step 18.

20. Even out your the ends and tie together in a tight knot. Repeat with the remaining tie, starting at the other side opening.

*If you’re using twill instead of fabric ties, you may choose to treat the ends with Fray-Check or clear nail polish to prevent fraying. Or finish by turning each end under by 1/4" twice and topstitching to secure.

Gee - Cute little bag, Jeni! I love your tutorials - they're very easy to follow. I also love your color sense and all the photo eye candy on your blog. Just wish I could sew up so much stuff as fast as you do!

Hi Jeni! Your blog is so cut. Sorry my english, but i try to not use the google translation. I need to remember "my english school".The bag is so beautiful, and the tutorial is perfect. Thank you.I have joined to your blog.I have a blog too. www.agulhas-soltas.blogspot.com

Hello, I've just arrived via Film in the Fridge, absolutely love the look of this tutorial :-) It will work perfectly with a piece of butterfly fabric I have had for a while, can't wait to get started, thank you.

Thank you so much for sharing this great tutorial! The bags are darling and I just finished making 2 to ship off to a little girl who is waiting for a heart and her brother. I made pillowcases to put inside. I know that I will be making many, many more! They are so fun and quick!

Yeah, whoopie, yippee yeah...... I just made one of these and it's fab!!! Thanks for a brilliant tutorial that even I could follow successfully (apart from getting the main fabric sideways on - but who cares - for a first go that's good). I am going to make another one right away xxx

Just finished the first of many of these drawstring bags (photo is on the Flikr group page) -- thanks for the tutorial, Jeni. I customized this one, it is quilted, and the next three will have name patches stitched on for my grandchildren. Fun!

This is such a fantastic tutorial, thank you! I've just made 2 today and can see many more in my future!! I've blogged about it (and you!) here:http://charmaboutyou.blogspot.com/2011/12/making-last-minute-gifts.html

I am a new-ish sewer, largely self-taught, and I have been aching to make drawstring bags for myself and fellow knitters and as easy as they are *supposed* to be, they have left me mystified and disappointed until this tutorial. I really can't thank you enough!!!! It's so clearly written and the pictures are fantastic. It couldn't have been easier and I adore the result! I appreciate you sharing so much!!!!

I love this bag and I'm making one for a Christmas gift. I didn't see anywhere in the pattern, but did you at any sort of stabilizer to the bag? I've used it in every bag I've made before and I wasn't sure how this one would turn out without it. Thanks! Great tutorial!

Very lovely bags and tut...(gotta get used to inches metrical system, but i can handle it!!!) i was looking for a ROUND based sewn box (for sewing goodies yep!!!) and found this web site!!! i'll surely be back and check if you posted it.bye bye!(good work, keep it up!)

Just finished making one , and I have to say this was the easiest tutorial , for the most part , for me to understand. I , like someone else posted, am pretty much beginning sewing and largely self taught , trial and error. I was confused at the squaring off part when I read "repeat this for the 3 remaining corners" .. I only had 1 corner left .. unless I misunderstood and was supposed to be doing the lining as well. It turned out really cute though! I will definitely be making more :) Thanks so much!

Just want to say your article is as surprising. The clearness in your post is Just excellent and i could assume you're an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the rewarding work.!#: Sorel Women's Helen Of Tundra Boot... The Cheapest

I am going to make some of these for myself and get busy and make a couple for my two grandchildren to put their Easter surprises in for them. This is really a very good tutorial and a great little bag.

Hi,have just finished mine! Thanks for the tutorial. Posted my photo with a link to the tutorial on a French forum. I hope you don't mind.http://patchtopatch.superforum.fr/t28925-pochon-violet#415859Beatrice (from France)

I finally made one of these tonight! The tutorial was so great and easy to follow, especially as I am basically a beginner. Thanks for your work in putting it together! I plan to post my picture to the Flickr group as soon as the weather is nice enough to get some good pictures. Thanks again :)

I have made several of these bags now! I tried several different ones before I found yours and I wanted to tell you that yours is the best I have come across so far. I just finished a wool bag, modifying your instructions a wee bit. Thank you for generously sharing this.

Just stumbled upon your blog for the first time. I love your version of this bag! Thanks for the great tutorial... I hope it's okay if I post a link to your tutorial on my FB page to share with others.www.Facebook.com/PinkSparkleAndLace~ Tammy

so i just made this (and bought the pattern), and i'm in love! planning on making another one tomorrow for my DSLR, and i'm thinking about making a ton in preparation for christmas presents - maybe in aneela hoey's new christmas line? oh, the possibilities! thanks so much. :)

Can't wait to make one of these for my dslr for vacation! So easy to follow! Just wondering if you felt like your camera was pretty well protected without batting. I was thinking about adding a fuse able fleece to the main exterior pieces....not sure if that would work??? Thanks for another amazing tutorial!!!

Thanks for this really great tutorial. I made one last night with a couple of changes:I made the cords a bit longer and left two extra openings either side 2 inches from the bottom. Before sewing up the inside of the bag, I stitched two ends of the cords in at each side - and it makes a drawstring backpack. I made it a bit bigger too. Perfect for my daughter's gym kit! Thanks for the tutorial!

i just made one for christmas wrapping.. and i'm going to be making many more. it's a great tutorial even though i totally messed up my measuring and cutting.. i was happy to have ribbon on hand instead of making my own. and it goes together so nicely! thanks. =)

Get a bodkin. So much better than using a safety pin. I made a couple of these at Easter for the grands' goodies. A lot nicer than the cheesy baskets available where I live. Love those pink fabrics. Added them to my growing list of must haves. N

Absolutely love this idea! My little girl just got a toy with lots of pieces to it and I thought a little drawstring tote would be perfect to keep all the pieces together in her toybox! That brought me to you! Thanks so much! I will be doing this project soon!!!

oh, I love the bags. Can't wait to try out your tutorial and make one. I've always wanted to make gifts of shoe bags for my daughter and daughters-in-law to travel with. These would be really cute.Thanks for a great tutorial. I scanned through it and will try to do one tonight.Jackie in San Antonio

Hi Jeni! I can't believe that I've been following your blog for almost a year and I just now got around to making one of these! The tutorial is so great, I'm almost done with my second one! I'll be sure to upload pictures to the flickr group.

What a great pattern - just finished my first attempt and I have to say it's pretty great. I had to redo a few seams because believe it or not I put it together wrong in step 1 :), but it was obvious right away what I'd done wrong. Thanks for such a great project!

Made this today and I have to tell you what excellent directions you gave. I breezed right through, I'm just so proud of how it turned out. Thank you for sharing your talents with me and others, I appreciate your skills and ideas. I love how you put it together, your train of thought - really a fun concept. Bless your Heart!

I am very much a beginner sewer and I found your tutorial very easy to follow. I especially liked the video portion; I'm a visual learner and this was a huge help. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with everyone and doing so in such a precise, thorough way. I appreciate it more than you know! I spent an hour scouring the internet for the best drawstring bag tutorial and yours was the best by FAR! Thanks again!

In regards to present day fashion, the fitness world has created a craze of certain items such as gym tank tops and yoga pants that are worn as casual wear by many people on a daily basis, whether they attend a gym or not.gym bag

Thank you, i loved this pattern. I made 3 styles of project bags today but this was, by far, the easiest and best looking! I do have one question - since i was using 3 fat quarters, how do you - Cut (1) 12.5”x22” strip - Subcut into (2) 12.5”x10.5” pieces for the interior? My fat quarter was only 9" wide so I had to piece it. Not a problem, but it did puzzle me for a few minutes!

I just finished reading through your instruction -- you did an incredible job! You've inspired me to give this a try -- fingers crossed :) Thanks for sharing your pattern and for taking the time to make such a helpful tutorial. Kind regards!

i made one of these a year ago for my camera and decided to make another one a bit bigger today. LOVE LOVE LOVE this. easy to make and very cute finished product!! Thank you so much for the tutorial!!!

This was awesome! Thank you so much!I used your tutorial here to make some dice bags, and dispite the fact that it took me 40 mins to figure out how to thread and use the sowing machine... your steps were really easy to follow and well laid out. Thank you!!

Thanks for the wonderful instructions on making this bag. I have made many drawstring bags but this made my latest project so much easier.Took all the guesswork away.! I reduced the size to make a gymnastic grip bag for my Grandaughter.i know she will l��ve it!

Thank you for posting this cute and practical drawstring bag! I made one according to your specs then made two more, one with an front pocket, then another with both a front pocket and an interior pocket! Thank you for walking through the directions so carefully and explaining yourself very well.

This is my favorite drawstring bag pattern. I have made at least six as gifts. One of my knitting buddy's made a bunch for her sock projects. I didn't even realize we used the same pattern. I recently went to a quilt retreat where I planned on making more and another quilter had the same pattern. She made me one for my birthday. I was thrilled. Thank you for the pattern.

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